Indian Contingent Send-Off for Asian Games 2026
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports organized a grand send-off ceremony in New Delhi for the Indian contingent departing for the Asian Games 2026 in Japan. Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, along with Indian Olympic Association President Dr. P.T. Usha, Secretary (Sports) Hari Ranjan Rao, and Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav, unveiled the official contingent jersey in the presence of athletes and support staff.
The 503-member Indian contingent includes athletes and support staff, with over 300 athletes making their first appearance at the Asian Games, demonstrating the growing depth and bench strength of Indian sports. Dr. Mandaviya expressed confidence in the contingent's performance, stating that sports success represents national success rather than individual achievement alone.
The Minister highlighted the government's long-term vision for sports development, revealing that India has allocated more than ₹36,000 crore to improve sports infrastructure as part of a 10-year plan targeting the 2036 Olympics hosting bid. He also noted India's improved performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, where the medal tally increased by more than 35% from the previous 13 gold medals, attributing this success to transparent and merit-based selection processes through open trials with independent observers and camera monitoring.
Dr. P.T. Usha emphasized that the sporting journey is measured by dreams as well as medals, and acknowledged the continued support of the Prime Minister and Sports Minister for Indian athletics. The event served as both a motivational send-off and an announcement of significant government investment in sports infrastructure development.